of God? May not God say unto them of their fastings and prayers, "Did you fast unto me? did you pray at all unto me?" Zech. vii. 5. Or, as here to the Jews, that he was full of their services, even to a loathing; that he took no delight in them; and "who hath required these things at your hands to tread my courts? Bring no more oblations, incense is an abomination unto me; I cannot away with your assemblies, my soul hateth them; they are a trouble to me, I am weary to bear them." The Lord is much offended with formal, hypocritical services; hereby they flatter and mock him, and is he taken with flatteries? Such services are like a dead, cold, black, mangled, rotten, stinking carcase, without the soul and spirit, which must needs be very unsavoury and displeasing; they are like the lame, blind, halt, sick cattle, which were not fit to be offered up in sacrifice under the law, Mal. i. 8. "If ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy governor, will he be pleased with thee?" And will God then be pleased? Such persons, while they seem to serve God with their outward man, they serve the devil, and their own lusts with their inward man: God hath the form sometimes, the devil hath the power; God hath the show, the devil hath the substance; God hath the bark, the rind, the shell, the devil hath the kernel; God hath the cabinet, the devil gets the jewel; they give God the devil's leavings, and refuse, as it were, of their own lusts; for they spend the strength and vigour of soul and body, in serving

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the devil, and gratifying their own lusts; and then think to put God off with any thing; giving him only some dead, cold, faint, empty, heartless, lifeless, outward services; and even in them they are swayed by some carnal motives, which are the secret spring to the wheel of all external services. And O how abominable is all such worship in the sight of God! Hath not formality in worship been one sin of London which hath helped to fill up the Ephah? When the means God hath appointed for the turning away of his anger, is used in such a manner, that itself becomes a provocation, no wonder if his wrath break forth without remedy.

5. A fifth sin of London is division amongst professors. Different persuasions have made wide breaches and divisions in London, and through divisions have arisen great animosities and contentions, unto the shame of Christianity and the Protestant religion; and hath not God been provoked to anger hereby? Hath not he contended with professors, and by the common scourge he hath brought upon them, called aloud unto them for a union, and more hearty accord and affection than formerly they have had? And hath not he given them liberty and opportunity, had they minded and cared to make use of it, for meeting together in order unto healing? but have professors of different parties been sensible of God's meaning in the scourge upon their backs? have they hearkened unto God's call? have they laid hold of and improved opportunities for closing up their wide breaches? I hope some closing in affection there hath been amongst

some; but how rarely hath it been to be found; and when there are such breaches still amongst us, is it not just with God to make further breaches upon us, as he hath done by his judg

ments.

6. A sixth sin of London, is neglect of reformation. Neglect of, 1. Personal, 2. Family, 3. City, 4. Church-Reformation.

(1.) Neglect of personal reformation in heart

and life.

Who in London have seriously and very diligently endeavoured the reformation of their hearts? when so unclean and polluted, who have laboured to get them washed? When such roots of bitterness have been springing forth, and such weeds of lust have been growing there, who hath endeavoured to pluck them up? Outward neatness there hath been in London, washing and rinsing, rubbing and scouring; but the inward sluttishness! they who have had clean houses and clean garments, and clean faces and hands, have had foul hearts. Who have taken care every day to rinse and scour their inside? to bring their hearts to the fountain set open for sin and uncleanness; and to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, that they might arrive every day unto greater perfection in holiness? they who have been careful to dress their bodies every day, have been very careless in dressing their hearts, neglecting to put on the white robes of Christ's righteousness, which alone can cover their spiritual nakedness and deformity; and to get the jewels of grace, which

alone can adorn the soul, and render it amiable in the sight of God.

Heart-work is hard-work; and it is so hard, that most have let it alone; they have been discouraged with the difficulty; the opposition of Satan and lust to this work, hath been so strong, that they have been quickly overpowered, upon their first attempts and endeavours after a change and rectifying of the disorders which they have perceived.

Heart-work is secret-work. Many have employed themselves in the more open work of religion, few have taken pains with their hearts in secret; many take heed to their tongues what they speak, and before whom; to their hands, what they do; to their feet, whither they go; but few take heed to their hearts; murder, adultery, theft, and the like sins have been committed in the heart by many, who would have been afraid and ashamed of the outward acts.

O the unwatchfulness there hath been in London over the heart! Citizens have watched their gates, and watched their streets, and watched their houses; but how few have watched their hearts, what cometh in, and what goeth forth; how few have set a watch before the door of their lips, and ears, and other senses, which are the inlets of sin, and upon their hearts, from whence are the issues of sin! How few have kept their hearts with all diligence; how few have laboured to govern their thoughts, to rule their passions, to subjugate their wills to Christ; and to deliver up all their affections to his dispose and obe

dience! neglected.

Heart-reformation hath been much

Who in London have endeavoured life-reformation as they should? How few have there been effectually persuaded to put away the evil of their doings, from before the eyes of the Lord, to cease from evil, and learn to do well. How few have broken off their sins by repentance, and thoroughly amended their ways, measuring out their actions by the rule of the word! How few have got the law of God written in their hearts, and the transcript thereof in their lives, exemplifying the precepts thereof in their conversations! How few in London have been like so many Epistles of Christ, in whom the will and grace of their Master might be read! Who have trodden in Christ's steps, walking as he walked, and followed him in the way of obedience and self-denial? Who have shined like so many lights in dark places and times, adorning their profession, and living as becometh the Gospel?

Great irregularities there have been in the lives of most Londoners; little Gospel-reformation; little making religion the business; little holy exact living. If a stranger had looked into our city, and observed the lives of the most, and not known them to have had the name of Christians, would not we have judged them to be heathens, yea many of them in their dealing to be worse than Turks and Infidels? Thus personal reformation hath been neglected.

(2.) A great neglect there hath been of family reformation in London. How few have, with Joshua, resolved, and accordingly endea